This a picture of the set up of the lab. For your pre-lab, please plan how you w

Question

This a picture of the set up of the lab.

For your pre-lab, please plan how you will obtain quantify potential energy and kinetic energy in your cart spring system.

Specifically:

How will you determine the kinetic energy contained in the cart at any given moment of the cart's motion?

How will you determine the potential energy contained in the springs at any given moment of the cart's motion?

How will you show that energy is conserved within KE & PE? Will this be in the case with air ON or OFF?

What happens in the case where energy is not conserved between only KE & PE? Where does the energy "go?"

Is energy still conserved if one includes this/these additional forms of energy?

Explanation / Answer

Please find my responses question-wise :

Ans. We know the mass M and we can measure the instantaneous speed(v) at any given instant by using Photogate. Then simply K.E=1/2*m*v2

Ans. We know the mass M and spring constant (k) and we can measure the displacement(x) from the equilibrium position in the spring at any given instant. Then simply P.E=1/2*k*x2

Ans. Measure the total energy E=K.E+P.E for different displacements of the spring. It must be the same for all cases. With air OFF & no friction, this will hold true. With air ON, this will not hold true because Air drag will come into the picture and it will oppose the K.E., In that case, E=K.E+P.E+Air drag will be constant for all the cases.

Ans. The energy goes into another form of energies like air drag and friction will oppose the motion & leads to convert the part of the total energy into heat energy, sound energy etc

Ans. Yes, The total energy( the sum of K.E, P.E, Heat energy, Sound energy, Photonic energy(if any) etc.) will always be conserved because energy can't be created or destroyed, it just transforms from one form of energy into the other.

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